Apartment Advice

How to Find Someone to Sublease Your Apartment

Last updated: Oct 27, 2023

Finding the perfect person to sublet your apartment can take weeks.

But if you have to move out immediately, there are some quick steps you can take to find someone to sublease your place.

Keep reading for the five best things you can do to find a last-minute subletter to take over your apartment lease.

1. Talk to Your Landlord, Leasing Office, or Property Manager

You should never sublet unless your lease terms say you are allowed to (or doesn’t specify that you can’t).

If you have your landlord’s permission, the best place to start your search is with your landlord or leasing office.

Your landlord may know a renter or two who would love to take over your lease.

They might even have potential renters on a waiting list, just waiting for you or someone else in the building to move out. Plus, most landlords will run a background check and credit check, so the fact that they’re already landlord-approved might suggest that they’d be good subtenants.

Tip: Talk to your roommates, too (if you have them). Not only do they need to know you’re moving out, but they may have a friend who wants to take over your room.

2. Post Your Sublet on Social Media

When you need to find someone to take over your lease quickly, one of the best ways is to spread the news to your coworkers, relatives, and friends.

Post it on Facebook, Twitter, and all of your social media channels to let your friends — and friends of friends — know about the opportunity.

Someone you know may need a temporary living situation or may love your neighborhood and want to move in. Remember, it’s always best if you can sublet to someone you know or someone that knows someone you trust!

If your connections aren’t able to help with any leads, cast your net a little wider.

For example, if you live near a college or a university, you might post your listing to Facebook groups for local schools or local organizations. You might find a college student who wants to move out of dorm or a study abroad student who needs a short-term place to stay.

… which leads us to our next tip:

3. Post Your Sublet Online

Don’t underestimate the power of websites such as Craigslist, Sublet.com, and Flip. These are great sources for all types of renters, and they make it easy to get your ad in front of thousands of people in a matter of seconds.

Regardless of where you find your tenant, you’ll need to proceed with caution before handing over the keys.

Once you find someone who’s interested in your sublet, you’ll need to make sure they’re qualified. You’ll should also protect yourself by having them sign a sublease rental agreement.

Without a proper lease agreement, your subletter could destroy your entire apartment and leave you on the hook for the bill.

You might also be interested in: Your 5-Step Apartment Cleaning Checklist

4. Offer a Discount for Your Subletter

If you’re in a real jam and need to find a subletter immediately, you may want to offer a discount or be willing to give them a break on part of the rent.

Ideally, you’ll be able to find someone to pay your entire monthly lease.

But having someone pay 70% or 80% of the rent is much better than having to pay for all of it yourself.

When you’re down to the wire and need to get a subletter in your unit immediately, drop the price, offer a free month’s rent, or provide a small discount.

You could also offer to pay for some of the utilities. If you decide to do this, limit it to utility bills that don’t change each month, such as your cable bill or Wi-Fi access.

You can also sweeten the deal by letting the tenant know that some utilities are already covered under the terms of your original lease. If your rent includes the cost of electricity, heat, and water, make it known! Add this into your listing or ad so tenants know exactly what they’re getting for their money.

5. Have an Open House for Subletters

Distribute flyers around a local college campus and hang notices in coffee shops to invite interested neighbors to an open house!

In a matter of a few hours, you just might find multiple subletters that want to take over your lease right away.

If you plan to welcome strangers into your home, we suggest having a friend or two present for the entire duration of the open house. You might be in a rush to find that perfect subletter, but your personal safety is much more important!

What to Do When You Find Your Tenant

Before you give your subletter the keys to your place, there are a few things you’ll need to do:

Have them fill out a rental application and provide references so you can check their rental history. Your landlord will likely want to see this as well.
Take pictures of what your rental unit looks like before the start of the sublease. That way, any damage your subletter does will be their responsibility to pay for or repair.
Collect a security deposit.
Inform your tenant of when the rent and utilities need to be paid each month.
Don’t forget to explain any additional rules or regulations that your landlord expects you to abide by.

When you sublet, you essentially become the landlord. So take the necessary precautions and make sure you protect yourself and the property every step of the way!

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